Construction on roads is a common occurrence. Sometimes, the construction needs to be performed on roads that are still in use. The most common method of doing this is to block off part of the road and provide traffic control. The traffic control is most commonly conducted by a pair of construction personnel communicating together to allow traffic to flow on one (1) side and halting traffic on the other, then reversing this action as required. The use of hand-held signs, usually indicating “STOP” and “SLOW” on reversible sides, accomplishes this task. Personnel directing traffic is an inherently dangerous activity, especially if conducted at night or in low light level conditions. Accordingly, there exists a need for a means to provide a safe and effective method for directing the flow of traffic under these conditions. The development of the present invention fulfills this need.
Prior art in this field consist of simplistic posts having a sign affixed thereto or complex, heavy devices Simplistic posts devices provide no illumination. Some of these simplistic post devices have stands about which a user can rotate the post and have it stand freely, but none incorporate the lighting means and features that the present invention does. Complex, heavy devices are expensive and unwieldy. Furthermore, many complex devices are not suitable for a single user. It is an object of this invention to provide a road sign having an illumination means to display the command signs for directing traffic during low-light conditions.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a means to control the illumination of the signs.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a means to selectively employ the apparatus in a hand-held version or a freestanding version.
A further objective is to provide a means to supply the apparatus with a renewable source of electrical energy. A beneficial aspect of this invention is to provide a means to compactly stow the apparatus for ease of transport.
The apparatus comprises a sign assembly, having illuminating sources in connection with a rechargeable battery source and solar cells. Once illuminated, the indicia of the sign are enhanced, allowing a user to direct and control the flow of traffic without the need of ambient light. The apparatus is provided with a set of bases that enables use of a hand-held version and a freestanding version. The device is a light-weight, simple, and effective means to enable a worker to adequately direct and control traffic in low-light situations.